Dual compactor assembly

ABSTRACT

A compactor assembly for loading refuse into refuse containers. The refuse containers are the type having a dumping door in which there is a loading aperture. The assembly includes a pair of hoppers which are situated side-by-side in a frame. Each hopper has a refuse exit on one side and each hopper has a ram which is mounted for movement through its charging chamber so as to drive refuse placed into the hopper out the refuse exit. The assembly further includes hydraulic coupling means for drawing a container to and against each hopper, with the loading aperture of the refuse container being brought into alignment with the refuse exit of the hopper, so that as the ram is driven through the hopper, it forces refuse out the refuse exit of the hopper, through the loading aperture and into the refuse container. Controls are provided so that an operator can selectively actuate the hydraulic coupling means for drawing the containers to the hoppers, and for driving the rams within the hoppers.

United States Patent Bausenbach et al. 51 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] DUAL COMPACTOR ASSENIBLY FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS '72 Inventors: Arthur E. Bausenbach, Rockville 150,690 2/1932 Switzerland ..100/185 Centre; hank Palopoli, Massapequa 1,034,597 4/1953 France ..100/193 Park, both of NY. Primary ExaminerBilly J. Wilhite [73] Assgnee' iz' Deer Park Attorney-Gottlieb, Rackman & Reisman 22] Filed: May 22,1970 1 1 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 39,897 A compactor assembly for loading refuse into refuse containers. The refuse containers are the type having 52 U S Cl 100 193 00 229 A 4 a dumping door in which there is a loading aperture. 1 I ,1 l 1 100/ 2 The assembly includes a pair of hoppers which are [51] I Cl loo/269 situated side-by-side in a frame. Each hopper has a nt. refuse exit on one side and each hopper has a ram Field of Search 4/4 1 1 which is mounted for movement through its charging 100/229, 245, 269, 295, 178, 185, 229 A chamber so as to drive refuse placed into the hopper out the refuse exit. The assembly further includes [56] References Cited hydraulic coupling means for drawing a container to and against each hopper, with the loading aperture of UNITED STATES PATENTS the refuse container being brought into alignment with 380,185 3/1888 Chase ..100/229 A refit-he exit the F that as the ram is driven through the hopper, 1t forces refuse out the 3,513,771 5/1970 Felts ..100/229 X refuse exit of the hopper, through the loading aperture 3,403,620 10/1968 P1och ..100/229 X d h fus C l 199 237 1/1878 Taylor ..100/1'93 t e e tam ed 1 l 60352 11/1915 1 00/229 UX so that an operator can selectively actuate the hydraul 35400 6/1964 T l 3 214/41 lic coupling means for drawing the containers to the 3327620 6/1967 25: e X hoppers, and for driving the rams within the hoppers. 3:229,618 1/ 1966 OConnor ..100/229 X 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 1 h l l I l I 1. l1 !/Z 1 Mi ae ,28 31/ 1. 29

1 J l l I l 2 ,r 24 1! 3 l1 94 /ltzo 22 2: (r) I :1 V I /9 26a 24 22 m N R@Q PATENTED T 3 I972 SHEEI 2 OF 4 ARTHUR E. IBAUSENBACH PATENTED I18! 3 I97? SHEET 3 OF 4 INVENTORS ARTHUR E.'BAUSENBACH FRANK PALAPOLI ATTORNEYS 0, l hvxwn PATENTEDUCT 3 I972 3.695.175

SHEET u UF 4 INVENTORS ARTHUR E. BAUSENBACH FRANK PALAPOLI @OFQS DUAL COMPACTOR ASSEMBLY It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a dual compactor assembly which is adapted to receive and operate with a pair of refuse containers, whereby even if one of said containers is in transit from its original site to a dump, the other refuse container is positioned for use, and hence one container is always available for utilization at the users site.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dual compactor assembly of the character described wherein hydraulic coupling means are utilized for drawing up and aligning a refuse container with a hopper, thereby making this alignment function quick and easy for the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dual compactor assembly of the character described wherein control means are provided to selectively activate the hydraulic coupling means for drawing up the containers to the hoppers or driving the .compacting rams within the hoppers, said control means enabling semi-skilled labor to operatethe compactor assembly without difficulty.

It is known to provide compactor systems including a hopper into which refuse is dumped. The compactor is situated at a user location, such as at .a manufacturing facility or at any other location which has significant amounts of refuse to be eliminated. Such hoppers include a ram, and one wall of the hopper has a refuse exit. Large refuse containers are used in connection with such compactor assemblies, and these containers have a large dumping door with a loading aperture, through which refuse may be forced into the container.

In use, the refuse container is brought into alignment with the compactor so that when the ram within the hopper is operated, it pushes the refuse in the hopper out through the refuse exit and through the loading aperture into the refuse container. When the refuse container is full to a sufficient degree or at other predetermined times, the entire refuse container with its load of refuse, is picked up by a truck and brought to a refuse dump. At the dump, a dumping frame picks up the container from the truck, the dumping door of the container is opened, and the container dumped so as to rid it of its contents. When this has been accomplished, the refuse container is returned to its original location at the user site.

It has been found that the described cycle of operation has some serious defects. First, it is often desirable for a user to be able to have two containers available to him for simultaneous immediate utilization so that he can place different types of refuse in each. For example, if a user has significant amounts of cardboard to dispose of and if this cardboard is separated from other refuse, it has some salvage value. In other cases, a user may have certain types of scrap metal or other waste which is advantageous to separate from other refuse. The only way heretofore to effectuate such separation is either to have a compactor assembly which operates with a single refuse container, and to have another container into which the differentiated refuse is simply manually dumped without benefit of compaction, or to have two separate and independent compactor assemblies. Both of these systems are costly, in'efiicient, require a large amount of space, and are undesirable for other obvious reasons.

Still another defect of the present system of using a single container compactor assembly is that whenever such a refuse container is fully loaded, and the user is waiting for an operator to pick up his refuse container and replace it with any empty one, the entire system becomes inoperative and an undesirable backlog and accumulation of refuse develops. Moreover, the full container may be replaced with an empty one when the users labor force is not available, e.g. in the evening.

To resolve the foregoing problems, the present invention contemplates a dual compactor assembly which comprises in a single coordinated unit, a pair of refuse hoppers to each of which may be independently coupled a refuse container. When both containers are in their coupled positions with their respective hoppers, a user can easily place one type of refuse in one container and another type of refuse in a difierent container, while gaining the benefit of automated compacting. Further, if a user has a large amount of refuse, he may simply fill one container completely, and then begin to fill the second container. While the second container is in the process of being filled and compacted with refuse, the first container may be removed from the user site, brought to a refuse dump, emptied and returned to its initial site. Thereby, the user never has any tieups of his refuse disposal system.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of .the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a three-quartered-perspective view of the dual compactor assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, taken sub- .stantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. '1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan elevational andpartially crosssectional view of the hydraulic coupling means of the compactor assembly;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of said hydraulic coupling means;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of said hydraulic coupling means, taken substantially along the lines 6-6 and 7-7 of FIG. 5, respectively; and

FIG. 8 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the control means for the hydraulic coupling means and the hydraulic ram drive means, both components of the present :dual compactor assembly.

:Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a dual compactor assembly 10 is provided for operation simultaneously with a pair of large refuse containers 12a, 12b. The containers 12 are well known in the art, and are six-walled, the walls being formed from 'heavy sheet metal in order to withstand internal pressure from refuse compaction as well as to withstand rough handling. Such containers may be separate units, or 'may be detachable from or fixed to truck or trailer bodies. Conventionally, each container 12 is mounted upon four heavy-duty wheels 14 so that it can be rolled to a limited extent on the ground. Further each such container 12 contains a heavy-duty dumping door 16 which takes up substantially an entire wall of the container. When the container 12 is full of refuse and the door 16 is swung open at a refuse dump, the container is readily emptied. Further, each such container has a refuse loading aperture 18 of relatively large dimension, usually formed in its door 16 (see FIG. 3). The loading aperture is defined by an outwardly protruding, encircling flange 19, used, as will be described, for alignment purposes.

The compactor assembly includes a frame 20 which has, as usual, a number of structural members including uprights 22, side panels 24, rear panels 26 and a frame base 28, all of those being structurally formed to make a rigid support for the compactor assembly.

The assembly includes a pair of refuse hoppers 30, 32 into which refuse is dumped directly by the user at any user site. This site may range from a manufacturing facility to a recreational facility, a merchandising facility such as a supermarket, or any other location where large quantities of refuse are regularly generated and must be eliminated by dumping. Each hopper includes three upwardly and outwardly tapering funnel walls 34 which serve to direct refuse into the chargingchamber 36 of the hopper. As best be seen in FIG. 3, each such charging chamber is situated beneath the funnel walls 34 and is defined on two sides by the side panels 28a, 28b and by a floor 40.

The frame 20 holds the hoppers 30, 32 in side-byside relation and a dumping platform 38 spans the rear of said hoppers. Desirably, the dumping platform 38 is situated on the same level as and immediately adjacent to an exit of the users facility so hat refuse from a user can be rolled directly out of the users building onto the the platform 38 and then into either one of the two hoppers 30, 32.

Turning now to the structure of the hoppers, hopper 30 (FIG. 3) will be described in detail and is essentially identical in construction to the hopper 32. The hopper includes the floor 40 for the charging chamber 36 which is supported by structural members 42. The forward side of the hopper 30 is open and comprises a refuse exit 44 which is defined by a flange 46 encircling it and protruding forwardly therefrom (see FIGS. 1 and 3). For alignment purposes, the flange 46 nests snugly within the flange 19 of refuse container. 7

Mounted within each hopper 30, 32 is a refuse compacting ram 48. As best seen in FIG. 3, each ram includes a back support 50, a face plate 52 which lies in a vertical plane, and a head 54 which protrudes slightly forwardly from the upper portion of the face plate 52. The support 50 is reinforced by a diagonal strut 56 which runs from the lower portion of the support 50 to the rear of a cover 58, the forward portion of which is fixed to the head 54.

The ram 48 is mounted for sliding horizontal recipro cal movement within the hopper 30 between a position to the rear of the charging chamber (shown in solid lines in FIG. 3) and a position to the front of the charging chamber (seen in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3). The cover 58 closes the entrance to the charging chamber 36, when the ram 48 slides to its forward position. The ram 48 is mounted for sliding movement by a pair of outwardly protruding guides 62 which are fixed on opposite sides of the ram 48, each such guide 62 mating with and sliding in a way 64 formed in a side wall of the hopper.

Drive means are provided to reciprocate the rams 48 through their respective hoppers 30, 32. The drive means includes an interconnected piston 66 and cylinder 68, the piston 66 being extended from or retracted into the cylinder 68 by hydraulic pressure passing through lines 70, as is well known and conventional for this purpose. The cylinder 68 is connected to the frame 20 by a pivot 72 and the piston 66 is connected to the ram 48 by a pivot 74, the aforesaid pivots providing necessary play. As is seen in FIG. 3, when the piston 66 is retracted within the cylinder 68, the ram 48 is drawn to the complete rear of the charging chamber, and is shown in dot-and-dash lines of the same FIG, when the piston 66 is extended from the cylinder 68, the ram 48 is driven to the complete forward end of the charging chamber 36.

Coupling means 65 are provided to draw a refuse container 12 up to and into alignment with any one hopper 30, 32. Said coupling means is desirably hydraulic and is shown in FIG. 1 and in detail in FIGS. 4 through 7. Other coupling means of types known in the art. may be utilized. The hydraulic coupling means comprises, for each hopper, a pair of interconnected piston and cylinder sets, each of the two sets of each hopper being located on opposite outward sides of that hopper. The piston and cylinder as shown in FIGS. 4 through 7 are typical and include a cylinder 74 situated in a horizontally extending recess 76 defined by a pair of horizontal elongated struts 78 fixed to the exterior sides of the hopper. The forward end of the cylinder 74 is fixed by a pivot 80 to an end wall between the struts 78 and a piston 82 with an elongated rod is connected by a pivot 86 to a sliding shoe 84, of channel-shaped configuration, mounted for reciprocation within and along the recess 76. Fixed to the shoe 84 is an outrigger 90 which is retained in the recess by retaining walls 88 and which terminates in a closed loop 92. The loop is thereby positioned outwardly from the side wall of the hopper. An elongated connector 94, preferably a link chain, extends from the loop 92 and is adapted to be connected to a loop 98 fixed to the side of the container 12. There are similar loops 98 disposed on opposite sides of each container 12 so that each of the two connectors 94 located on .opposite sides of each hopper, 30, 32, can be connected to them. The piston 82 in the cylinder 74 is reciprocated by hydraulic pressure which flows through lines 100 in a conventional and well-known fashion.

Control means is provided to control movement of both of the rams 48 in the hoppers 30, 32 and to control movement of both of the hydraulic coupling means 65. said control means is shown symbolically in the hydraulic circuit of FIG. 8, and includes a source of hydraulic power 102 which conventionally includes a motor which drives a pump, a power unit to energize the motor, and a reserve tank. The source of power 102 is connected by a line 104 to a selector valve 106, of a type which is well-known and conventional. From the valve 106, hydraulic pressure can be directed through the line 108 to one of the hopper systems, or through the line 110 to the other hopper system. Since the hydraulic circuit for each of the hopper systems is identical, only one need be further described.

The line 108 leads to another selector valve 112, which in turn via line 114 can be directed to activate the hydraulic coupling means 65 and more specifically the pistons 82 thereof or via line 116 can be directed to activate the ram 48 via the piston 66. Turning first to actuation of the hydraulic coupling means 65, the line 114 leads to a conventional four-way valve 118. If it is desired to expand the piston rods 82 within the cylinders 74 the valve 118 is operated to pass pressure from lines 114 through the line 120, then through branches 122, 124 into both of the cylinders 74, on one common side of the pistons 82. Hydraulic fluid from the other side of the piston then is evacuated from the cylinders and passes out through branches 126, 128, through line 130 back through valve 1 18, through line 132 back into the reserve tank. When it is desired to retract the pistons 82 within the cylinders 74, the four-way valve 1 18 is simply set in an opposite mode, as is well known, so that fluid flows into line 130 into the cylinders 74 and out line 120.

If it is desired to activate the ram 48, the selector valve 1 12 is operated to cause pressure to pass through line 116 into conventional four-way valve 134. From this valve, if it is desired to retract the ram 48, pressure is fed through line 136 into the cylinder 68 on one side of the piston 66 and hydraulic fluid from the other side of the piston passes through line 138 back through the four-way selector valve 134, through the line 140 and via line 132 back into the tank. If it is desired to extend the ram, the four-way selector valve is set to the opposite mode, as is conventional, so that fluid passes into line 138 to the cylinder 68 and outline 136. From the foregoing, it will be evident that the user may set the various valves to either drive or retract the ram of one hopper, and do the same to the hydraulic coupling means and the ram of the other hopper.

Referring briefly to the operation of the system, and assuming a starting point with both containers 12a, 12b drawn up to the hoppers 30, 34 as shown in FIG. I, refuse is continually dumped into said hoppers by a user at a user site. If desired, the user may dump one type of refuse into one of the hoppers and more valuable and a different type of refuse into the other of the hoppers. Periodically, as the charging chambers of the hoppers are partially filled, the ram 48 therein is driven via actuation of the hydraulic drive means. The ram forces any refuse in the charging chamber forward out through the refuse exit 44 of the hopper, through the refuse loading aperture 18 of the container, and into the container 12 itself. Due to the high degree of force which may be generated by the ram, the refuse can be compacted to a significant degree within the container. When the container is full, the hydraulic coupling means 65 which retain the containers 12a, 12b in place, are actuated so that the pistons 82, the Outriggers 90 and thus the lines 94 are caused to go slack, and then the connectors are removed from the containers loops 98. Then, via a dumping frame, the container is loaded onto a truck, for hauling to a refuse dump. A temporary retainer may be placed over the container refuse aperture to prevent refuse from falling out along the way. Then, the container is lifted at the refuse dump, the dumping door 16 is opened, and the container itself is emptied. Thereafter, the same container or a container in reserve, is placed in a position relatively close to the refuse exit of a hopper. The wheels 14 of the containers aid in enabling a container to be brought relatively close to the hopper. When the container is in the proximity of a hopper, the connectors 94 are fastened to the loops 98 of a container and the hydraulic coupling means are actuated so that the connectors pull the containers towards the hoppers. Alignment takes place by the flange 46 on the wall of the hopper nesting within the mating flange 19 on the container which defines the loader aperture.

If desired, and separate and apart from the aforesaid hydraulic coupling means, conventional auxiliary mechanical locking means can be employed one or many locations to hold the containers to the hoppers, after the containers have been drawn to the hoppers. Said locking means are desirable, since the force of the hydraulic coupling means may diminish over a period of time due to ordinary leakage, Further, said locking means supplies a more positive restraint against disengagement as a result of forces imposed against the inside walls of the refuse containers.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that alignment of the containers with the hoppers is quick and efficient, and can be carried out by semi-skilled labor.

There is claimed:

1. A compactor assembly for loading refuse into containers of the type having loading apertures, the assembly comprising a frame, a pair of hoppers separate from one another, each hopper including a refuse exit, the hoppers being secured by the frame in side-by-side relationship, a pair of rams, each ram being mounted for movement through a different one of the hoppers to drive refuse therein out its refuse exit, hydraulic drive means for propelling the rams, coupling means for drawing individual containers to each of the hoppers so that the refuse exits of the hoppers are aligned with the loading apertures of the containers, and single control unit means hydraulically interconnecting the drive means and the coupling means for selectively individually actuating any desired one of the drive means or any desired one of the coupling means with respect to each of the hoppers, said control unit means including a single hydraulic reservoir, and conduit means in parallel leading from said reservoir to each of the drive means and the coupling means.

2. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coupling means is hydraulic and includes at least one piston and cylinder set associated with each hopper, a connector running from the set to the container, the connector being adopted to detachably affix the set to the container, and means for driving the piston in the cylinder so that the connector pulls a container to a hopper. v

3. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each hopper has a pair of piston and cylinder sets and a pair of connectors, one said set and one said connector being disposed on each side of a hopper.

4. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the control means is adapted to actuate any one of the rams or a pair of the piston and cylinder sets associated with one of the hoppers.

5. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each hopper carries alignment means for mating with an associated container.

6. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the alignment means comprises a flange encircling the refuse exit which nests with a member protruding from the container.

i i i i l 

1. A compactor assembly for loading refuse into containers of the type having loading apertures, the assembly comprising a frame, a pair of hoppers separate from one another, each hopper including a refuse exit, the hoppers being secured by the frame in side-by-side relationship, a pair of rams, each ram being mounted for movement through a different one of the hoppers to drive refuse therein out its refuse exit, hydraulic drive means for propelling the rams, coupling means for drawing individual containers to each of the hoppers so that the refuse exits of the hoppers are aligned with the loading apertures of the containers, and single control unit means hydraulically interconnecting the drive means and the coupling means for selectively individually actuating any desired one of the drive means or any desired one of the coupling means with respect to each of the hoppers, said control unit means including a single hydraulic reservoir, and conduit means in parallel leading from said reservoir to each of the drive means and the coupling means.
 2. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coupling means is hydraulic and includes at least one piston and cylinder set associated with each hopper, a connector running from the set to the container, the connector being adopted to detachably affix the set to the container, and means for driving the piston in the cylinder so that the connector pulls a container to a hopper.
 3. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each hopper has a pair of piston and cylinder sets and a pair of connectors, one said set and one said connector being disposed on each side of a hopper.
 4. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the control means is adapted to actuate any one of the rams or a pair of the piston and cylinder sets associated with one of the hoppers.
 5. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each hopper carries alignment means for mating with an associated container.
 6. A compactor assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the alignment means comprises a flange encircling the refuse exit which nests with a member protruding from the container. 